Drive or Fly: Menomonee Falls, WI to Colfax, WI?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for MKE–EAU. At 264 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 57m

Distance

264.4 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

107 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 18m

26m in the air

Air Distance

219 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → MKE 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Colfax, WI 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Menomonee Falls, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Colfax, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and EAU. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 12m

4h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → Milwaukee 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 297m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Colfax, WI 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~74m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 59m

5h on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) 15m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Colfax, WI 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 10 mi, ~15m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 57m	3h 18m	7h 12m	5h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$184	$51	$23
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

264.4 mi 4h 57m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, US 12

Shortest (+9 min)

257.5 mi 5h 6m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, WI 33

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Menomonee Falls, WI to Colfax, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.